Selective signaling device.



J.*P. O. BOSWAU'.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APRJ, 1913.

0 1,101,679,, Patented June 30,1914.

36 X. :19 AL Joh ahnes F 6. 50s Wau.

UNITED sTATEs learn ()FFICE.

JoHAnNns :P. 'c. noswnn, on NEW YORK, n. Y., assrenon 'ro wnsrnnn ELECTRIC ooMraNY, OF NEW YonK, N. A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

SELECTIVE SiGNALING DEVICE- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3t), 131

Application filed April 1, 1913. Serial No. 758,233.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHANNES P. C. Bos- WAU, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,

lective Signaling Devices, of which-the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description. v I

This invention relates to selective signaling devices and more particularly to a step "by step selective circuit closing device operated in response to a certain predetermined character and combination of current impulses to close a signaling circuit.

The object" of this invention is to provide a selective signaling device of this class by means of which a very large number of way stations connected with the same line wires may be selectively signaled by means of a relatively small number of current impulses.

In a selective signaling device embodying this invention there is provided a step by step element which is advanced a predetermined distance by current impulses through a stepping and a holding magnet, means being provided for retaining the step by step element in its advanced position during a period of absence of current from the line and subsequently advancing it from its held position to a position where it closes a sig naling contact. More specifically this feature consists in the provision of a holding device controlled directly by one of the electro-magnets to engage means carried by said step by step element only when said element has been advanced into a predetermined position and current has been cut oli the line.

In the drawings illustrating this invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation with parts broken away of a selector embodying this invention, Fig. 2 is a detail view of the step by step element and associated parts, and Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram showing schematically a selector embodying this invention connected therewith.

In the drawings 1 designates a base upon which is mounted an inverted U-shaped frame having side members 2, 2 and a top member 3. Suspended from the top member 3 of the frame are two electromagnets 5 and 6 each comprising two coils. Piv'otally supported near the lower end of the U- shaped frame are armatures 14 and 15, the

armature 14: being responsive to electromag net 5 and the armature 15 being responsive to electromagnet 6, sald electromagnet .6

being made slow acting as clearly indi-.

cated in Fig. 3. The armatures 14 and 15 are provlded with arms 25 and 26 respectively which are brought out through openings in the frame and are extended upwardly along the end of the frame. Attachedto the upwardly extending arm 25 is an arm 27 carrying at its upper end a pivotally mounted spring pressed pawl 23 adapted in the movement of the armature 14 with the ratchet wheel 29 by the action of i a spring 32-. Secured to the armature 15 are two angularly disposed arms 33 and 34:,

the arm 33 being normally in engagement with the pawl 28 and the arm 34 with the pawl 31. The energization of the magnet 6 withdraws said arms from engagement with the respective pawls, permitting said pawls to engage said ratchet wheel to rotate it in one direction. A. coiled actuating spring 35 is provided for returning said ratchet wheel to normal position when it is wholly released. Springs 38 and 39 are adapted to return said arms 27 and at to normal position when the magnets are deenergized.

Referring now to the features of the device by means of which the objects of this invention are obtained, same are as follows: Mounted upon a projecting lug 40 carried by the magnet frame is a flexible spring 4-1 having a projecting portion 42 thereon provided at its free end with a cup or semicylindrical portion 43. .This spring 41 is in mechanical engagement with the arm 33 through an insulating knob 44; and is 50 tensioned as to partake of the movement of said arm 33. Carried by theratohet wheel 29 are two arms 47 and 48 each having a rightangled projection adapted to be brought into engagement with the cupped portion 43 of the spring 41., The arm 457 is insulated from the spring 41 preferably by means of an insulating roller 49 mounted thereon, while the arm 48 is adapted to complete an electrical path through said spring when brought into engagement therewith. The, length of the arms 47 and 48 is such with impulses sent over 'spring 41 to relation to the movement of the spring 41 that when the holding magnet 6 is energized the projection on said arms will pass by on the right-hand or front side of the cupped portion 43 but will passto the rear or lett side thereof when the said holding magnet '6 is deenergized.

Referring now to Fig. for the operation of a device embodylng this invention, it will be borne in mind that stepping It will be assumed that the particular S67.

lector is one of a group of three, four or five or any other desired number, in all selectors of which group the insulated arms 47 will be brought into position to engage the springs 41 at. the end of three stepping the line and the noninsulated arm 48 of the particular selector will be brought into position to engage the spring 41 in response to one additional step ping impulse over the line. The other .8 lectors of the same group will have their arms 48 so arranged that they will be brought into contact with the spring 41 in response to different numbers of stepping impulses. If at the end of three stepping impulses current is removed from the line for a sufficient length of time to permit the slow acting holding magnet 6 to fall oil the movement ofthe arm 33 will permit the move into position to bring the cup portion 43 into engagement with the insulating roller 49 of the arm 47 and thus retain the ratchet wheel in 'a position of advance'of three steps from normal. This will occur with all of the selectors of the particular group on the line but not with the selectors of any of the other groups, inasmuch as their arms 47 will be so adjusted that they will either be moved past their positions in which they engage their corresponding springs 41, or will not be far enough advanced to do so and, therefore, all other selectors will return to normal. Itnow two current impulses are again applied to the line, all of the selectors will be advanced 1 one step which will bring the arm 48 of the particular selector shown of the selected group into position to be engaged by the cpntact spring 41 which will occur if the circuit at the sending station is opened for a period o time sufiicient to permit the slow acting magnet 6 to fall oil". The pro- I jcction on the arm 48 coming into contact with the cup portion 43 on the spring 41 will hold the ratchet wheel 129 in that position and at the same time complete 'alocal circuit through a signal 50 including a local battery 51 ledtor will be released by applying a stepping impulse to the line to move the arm 48 out of engagement with the spring 41 and then removing current from the line.

The number of stepping impulses for moving the insulating holding arm of any group into position to beheld should be odd and the number of stepping impulses necessary to move the non-insulated arm of any of the selected group into position should be odd, the total number of current impulses required to close any signaling circuit being even. This is for the purpose of reventing interference with the code num rs and to insure. that only one selector closes its-signaling circuit when a certain code impulse has been sent out. When both groups of steps are odd the total rumber of steps required to close any signaling circuit is even. Since only odd groups of stepping impulses are sent out, nosingle group of the spring 41 and said arm 48. The se-.

impulses will close a signaling circuit, but 1 two groups of impulses are always required to accomplish this.

As an example of the difiiculty which may be experienced in case this plan is not followed, assume that there will be one group in which the selector is advanced to its firsthold position by three impulses and then into its signaling position by three succeeding impulses making a total of six for closing the signaling circuit of; a particular selector.

Taking another group, then, in which" the selectors are advanced to their hold position by six impulses it will be obvious that each time the selector in this group is advanced to its hold position the selector in the group requ ring SIX complete impulses to close its signaling circuit will be advanced to its signaling position. The same would be true of a selector in a group in which it required five preliminary impulses to advance it into its first hold position and an additional one to advance it'into its second hold or signaling position. Clearly then, this interference may be avoided by making the total number of impulses necessary to close a signaling circuit an even number, and the number for stepping the selectors of any particular group into their first or preliminary position an odd number. 4

I claim:

'-1. In a selective signaling device, a stepby-step circuit-closing element, electromags nets for controlling the advancement of said circuit-closing element, angularly displaced projecting members carried by said step-bystep element, holding means controlled by said electromagnets for engaging one of said projecting members after said step-by-st'ep element has been advanced a predetermined distance and said magnets are deenergized to hold said step-by-step element in an adcircuit-closing element, an insulated and a non-insulated projecting member carried by said circuit-closing element and separated from each other, a contact spring located adjacent said circuit-closing element and successively engaged by said projecting members in the movement of said circuit-closing element, the engagement of one of said projections with said contact spring holding said step-bystep element advanced when the said electromagnets are deenergized and the engagementof the other of said projections holding said circuit-closing element ad vanced and closing a signaling circuit.

3. In a selective signaling device a step-- by-step circuit-closing element, electromagnets for'controlling the advancement of said circuit-closin element, an insulated and a non-insulate arm carried by said circuitclosing element, a contact spring held out of the path of movement of said arms when said electromagnets are energized but adapted to be engaged thereby when said magnets are deenergized and said circuit-closing element has been moved predetermined distances to hold said circuit-closing element in its advanced position, and a signaling circuit closed by the engagement of. said non-insulated arm with said contact spring.

a. In a selective signaling device, a stepbystep circuit-closing element electromagnets for controlling the advancement of said circuit-closing element, separated projections carried by said circuit-closing element, and means controlled by one of said electromagnets upon thedeenergization thereof after predetermined advancements of said circuitclosing element to successivelyengage said projections to hold said circuit-closing elementadvanced and a signaling circuit closed through said means and one of said projections.

5. A selective signaling device comprising a 'step-by-step circuit-closing element, stepping and holding magnets therefor, angu larly separated arms carried by said circuitclosing device, a flexible contact member mounted to oscillate under control of said holding magnet, said contact springbeing moved into engagement with said arms in predetermined positions. of said circuit-closing element and upon the denergization of said holding magnet, and a signaling circuit closed when one of said arms is in engagement with said contact spring.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of March A. D., 1913.

JOHANNES P. C. BOSWAU.

\Vitnesses F. P. MoIN'rosH, WALTER F. HOFFMAN. 

